Cleaner Air for Scotland 2: delivery plan

Priority 7: Tackling Non Transport Emissions Sources

We will address emissions from domestic (household) burning and agriculture, going beyond current regulatory and management approaches.

Our strategic approach includes:

• Agriculture, Industrial and Domestic Emissions Working Group Report
  http://www.scottishairquality.scot/assets/documents/Emissions-Working-Group-Report.pdf
• Energy Efficient Scotland Route Map (2018)
  https://www.gov.scot/publications/energy-efficient-scotland-route-map/
• Ecodesign
  https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/c6ccf626-2f6d-11e5-9f85-01aa75ed71a1/language-en
• Woodsure and Ready to Burn educational schemes
  https://www.readytoburn.org/
• Joint Nature Conservation Committee Nitrogen Futures project
  https://data.jncc.gov.uk/data/04f4896c-7391-47c3-ba02-8278925a99c5/JNCC-Report-665-FINAL-WEB.pdf
• Plantlife Report: Cleaner Air for Scotland's Wildlife
  https://www.plantlife.org.uk/application/files/4116/0828/6643/PL_Nitrogen_Scotland_report_Singles.pdf
• River basin management plans
  River basin management planning | Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA)
  River basin management plans - silage, slurry and anaerobic digestate – improving storage and application: consultation - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Domestic (Household) Burning

Outcomes:

10. We further develop and promote educational schemes that encourage burning cleaner fuels in efficient stoves.

11. We introduce controls on the most polluting domestic fuels to help improve air quality, prevent nuisance and protect health.

12. We review and update existing controls on domestic (household) burning.

Actions:

Our key short term actions (to 2022)

• The Scottish Government will encourage uptake of Ecodesign stoves through Ecodesign Ready and other initiatives, along with consideration of how best to address widespread replacement of pre Ecodesign appliances.

• The Scottish Government will work with business and industry to support and further develop educational schemes such as Woodsure and Ready to Burn, including manufacturers, suppliers and users of both fuels and appliances.
• The Scottish Government will commission work to provide further evidence on the proportion of particulate matter (PM) emissions and other key pollutants attributable to domestic burning in Scotland, together with geographic and demographic distribution of domestic burning.

• The Scottish Government in developing policies and programmes to support households and businesses in transitioning to low-carbon heating solutions, will consider the needs of those affected by any controls on the supply of the most polluting domestic fuels.

Our key medium term actions (to 2024)

• The Scottish Government will work with local government and SEPA to consider revision of the Clean Air Act 1993.
• The Scottish Government with local authorities will consider what changes are needed to the current permitted development rights for flues for woodburning stoves and biomass boilers.

Our key long term action (to 2026)

• The Scottish Government will take forward, working with businesses that may be affected and other interested parties, potential measures to control the supply of the most polluting domestic fuels – including a ban on house coal, restricting the sulphur content of smokeless fuels to 2%, prohibiting the sale of certain types of wet wood and introduction of a minimum renewables content for manufactured smokeless fuels. In taking forward this work, we are mindful that any new measures would require to be implemented over a period of time, such as a transitional period during which businesses could adapt to the new requirements without disproportionate costs.

Agriculture

Outcomes:

13. We work in collaboration with the agriculture sector and relevant public and private sector bodies to reduce ammonia emissions and improve environmental outcomes through a combination of improved advice/support services and other relevant measures.

14. We enable appropriate management interventions to minimise the health and amenity impacts of muirburn.

15. We work to decrease nitrogen emissions through a combination of improved understanding, efficiencies and soil condition.

Actions:

Our key short term action (to 2022)

• The Scottish Government will use available data and other information to set a Scottish contribution for overall UK ammonia emissions reduction targets required under the National Emission Ceilings Directive.

Our key medium term actions (to 2024)

• The Scottish Government will work together with SEPA and the agricultural industry to develop a voluntary code of good agricultural practice for improving air quality in Scotland.

• The Scottish Government will undertake a specific assessment of visible smokes and their health and amenity impacts arising from muirburn. The assessment will consider pollution characteristics and downwind impacts into populated areas, along with appropriate management responses and interventions.
• The Scottish Government will support investigation into the method of assessing risk of significant harmful ecological effects from atmospheric nitrogen (nitrogen deposition and elevated concentrations of ammonia and NOx), comparing critical loads/levels with dose-response or other options.

• The Scottish Government with support from SEPA and NatureScot will assess the potential costs of implementing identified improvements to the current site condition monitoring of designated conservation sites, to improve on current methods which don't detect air pollution effects.

• The Scottish Government with support from SEPA and NatureScot will review current monitoring of terrestrial ecosystems (and air pollution effects) in Scotland.

• Our key long term actions (to 2026) The Scottish Government and SEPA will continue to share best practice and raise awareness of greenhouse gases and ammonia, and actions that farmers and crofters can take to minimise their environmental impact while improving efficiency.
• The Scottish Government will work directly with farmers, supported by scientific and economic expertise to co-develop new ways of working to better contribute towards delivering Scotland's climate change and environmental outcomes.
• The Scottish Government will consider options to reduce emissions from large scale production units in consultation with the agricultural sector, aligning with broader policy development around future rural support.